Arctic Council Working Group Recommendations
| Project | Type | # | Outcome | Report | Year | FEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) | Key finding | 2 | We use a robust method to describe trends in 129 selected Arctic migratory bird species, using abundance change estimates from inside and outside the Arctic. The selected species have increased in abundance by 40% on average between 1970 and 2011. | Arctic Species Trend Index: Migratory Birds Index | 2015 | |
| Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) | Key finding | 9 | Due to time and resource limitations some data on abundance change was not included, accounting for some of the data gaps. Additional gaps are due to lack of access to data and the ongoing need for more data collection. It is hoped that this report will trigger increased interest and wider participation from all countries and organisations along the migration routes as international cooperation is vital to ensure the conservation of Arctic migratory birds. | Arctic Species Trend Index: Migratory Birds Index | 2015 | |
| Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) | Key finding | 2 | Tracking trends in Arctic marine vertebrates. 2.1 The trend for marine fish is very similar to the trend for all marine species, increasing from 1970 to about 1990 and then levelling off. This indicates that the ASTI is strongly influenced by fish trends. Overall, marine mammals also increased, while marine birds showed less change. 2.2 The three ocean regions, Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic, differed significantly in average population trends with an overall decline in abundance in the Atlantic, a small average increase in the Arctic and a dramatic increase in the Pacific. These differences seem to be largely driven by variation in fish population abundance—there were no significant regional differences for birds or mammals. 2.3 Pelagic fish abundance appears to cycle on a time frame of about 10 years. These cycles showeda strong association with a large-scale climate oscillation. 2.4 The ASTI data set contains population trends for nine sea ice associated species. There were mixed trends among the 36 populations with just over half showing an overall decline. 2.5 The Bering Sea and Aleutian Island (BSAI) region of the Pacific Ocean is well studied, providing an opportunity to examine trends in more detail. Since 1970, BSAI marine fish and mammals showed overall increases, while marine birds declined. However, since the late 1980s, marine mammal abundance has declined while marine fish abundance has largely stabilized. | The Arctic Species Trend Index 2011: Key findings from an in-depth look at marine species and development of spatial analysis techniques | 2012 | |
| Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI) | Key finding | 4 | Shorebirds are in decline overall (-10%), with negative trends in the Americas and East Asia (-10% and -70%). Populations of this group are faring better in Africa-Eurasia, where abundance is 40% higher compared to 1970. | Arctic Species Trend Index: Migratory Birds Index | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 6.1 | Way forward: Engagement of Arctic Indigenous organizations and a broad range of stakeholders in participatory development of knowledge and policy alternatives is central to a successful TEEB Arctic study. Follow-up work to this scoping study should be structured so that those who wish to contribute can do so through a range of avenues. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 4.1 | Valuing Arctic ecosystem services: Key Finding 4.1. The ecosystem services link is crucial when striving for sustainable management of complex social-ecological systems, and valuation in this context can provide powerful information for evaluating alternative management strategies. Cohesive, integrated and commonly accepted frameworks for assessment of the values of Arctic ecosystems are needed. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 3.4 | Governance: Key Finding 3.4. Recognizing, demonstrating and capturing the diverse values of ecosystem services in policy instruments for strategic planning and integrated management of natural resources and space can help reconcile biodiversity conservation with development. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 2.5 | Arctic ecosystem services: Reduction of greenhouse gases remains a top priority for conserving ecosystem services. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 1.1 | Arctic ecosystem services: Featuring ecosystem services in policy development and implementation is needed to help define and balance societal needs and priorities in the rapidly changing Arctic policy landscape. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Advice | 1 | A TEEB Arctic study, or set of studies, based on two to five policy areas. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 4.3 | Valuing Arctic ecosystem services: Key Finding 4.3. There is a persistent risk that social and cultural attributes of ecosystem services are neglected while the monetized economic benefits and ecological causes of ecosystem service change are over-emphasized. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 3.6 | Governance: Key Finding 3.6. Mainstreaming of nature’s values by means of ecosystem services requires adjustments to existing policies and instruments as well as the development of new ones. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 3.1 | Governance: Key Finding 3.1. Incorporation of Arctic ecosystem services into policies and governance practices is akey method for the integration of environmental, economic, and social policies. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 2.2 | Arctic ecosystem services: Ecosystem services work should take a holistic approach and operate at the level of ecosystem service bundles | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 5.1 | Policy focus: Key Finding 5.1. Policy related to increasing and changing development patterns in the Arctic wouldbenefit from incorporation of consideration of ecosystem services. Participants in this scoping projectidentified a list of policy areas for further consideration, and two of these were assessed as ‘policyexamples’ through a TEEB approach, at a broad scoping level: expanding shipping and oil and gasdevelopment in the marine environment, and industrial development in the North American Arctic.) | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 3.8 | Governance: Key Finding 3.8. Taking an interdisciplinary approach that combines economic and sociocultural analyses to the benefits people receive from Arctic nature faces a number of challenges and concerns. However, it also offers a complementary approach for communicating to decision makers the importance of nature to people, and a toolkit for evaluating policy options and integrating stewardship into decisions. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 3.3 | Governance: Key Finding 3.3. The TEEB approach can make the diverse values that people hold for nature visible by assessing and communicating the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the economy and to society. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 2.4 | Arctic ecosystem services: Arctic ecosystem services provide benefits to a range of stakeholders at various scales, both directly and indirectly – and the stakeholders who benefit from services and those who affect the availability of the same services are not always the same. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 6.2 | Way forward: Early policy-maker involvement is crucial for designing effective approaches to policy change. This includes policy-makers at international and national levels, and includes people working on policy not directly related to environmental management, such as trade, business and fiscal policy. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 | |
| Arctic TEEB | Key finding | 4.2 | Valuing Arctic ecosystem services: Key Finding 4.2. Any effective, equitable and sustainable policy must account for a diversity of perspectives and encompass a diversity of value systems. | The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) for the Arctic: A Scoping Study Executive Summary | 2015 |